La Liga: Ronaldo grabs brace as Real thump Xerez

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to lead Real Madrid to a 5-0 win over La Liga new boys Xerez at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

The Portuguese winger netted the opener inside the first
minute with a searing run and shot and Xerez, in their first
top-flight campaign, must have feared the worst.

But the floodgates remained stubbornly closed until the last
15 minutes when Ronaldo, Guti, Karim Benzema and Ruud van
Nistelrooy netted in quick succession to settle a restless home
crowd.

Real moved ahead of champions Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao
on goal difference at the top of the standings with three wins
from three.

Barca hammered Atletico Madrid 5-2 on Saturday and Bilbao overcame Villarreal 3-2 earlier in the day while a brace from David Villa against former club Sporting Gijon wasn't enough to take Valencia level with the big two. Goals from David Barral and Arnolin Gregor salvaged a 2-2 draw for the visitors.

Real Madrid appeared to ease off after Ronaldo's early strike at the Bernabeu and Xerez steadily grew in confidence. Emilio Viquiera skimmed Iker Casillas's crossbar with a free
kick and Xerez's travelling fans cheered 'ole' as the visitors were given time and space to move the ball around, though they lacked the quality to really threaten.

Real coach Manuel Pellegrini brought midfielders Guti and Esteban Granero off his bench midway through the second half and they helped turn the game. Ronaldo bagged the second, rising to head in from a corner in the 75th minute and Guti volleyed a third soon after.

Benzema lashed a spectacular fourth on a breakaway before
substitute Van Nistelrooy slid the ball between Renan's legs for
the fifth.

Spain striker Fernando Llorente nodded in Bilbao's opener
and fired in a second off the post before the break at San
Mames. He was only denied a hat-trick by acrobatic saves from
Diego Lopez in the visitors' goal.

Cani pulled one back for Villarreal early in the second period and after Javi Martinez had restored the home side's advantage with a header from a corner, Santi Cazorla netted a
fine free kick near the end. Elsewhere, Almeria beat Getafe 1-0 and Real Zaragoza slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by Real Valladolid.